Dispensing attachment for beverage containers



Jan. 11, 1938. w, MYERS DISPENSING ATTACHMENT-FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINERSFiled. Jan. 23. 1936 @Inrfintor, 5% me Patented Jan. 11, 1938 DISPENSINGATTACHMENT FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINERS George W. Myers, Bushnell, Fla.

Application January 23, 1936, Serial No. 60,443

5 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing attachments for beveragecontainers.

For the handling of beer in containers of about fifteen gallonscapacity, a large size glass bottle, having sufficient strength towithstand the pressure which is normally present with beer in theordinary containers, has many advantages, providing such a glass bottleis equipped with a proper dispensing attachment to the mouth of thebottle to hold the pressure, both after filling the bottle and beforedelivery, and when in use after delivery at the time of dispensing thebeer. Beer thus contained and held under pressure in glass bottles canbe kept in a sanitary fresh condition, in connection with refrigeration,and be free from any poisonous influences due to the material of whichthe container is made.

In handling beer, where a license is to be attached to the container, tobe destroyed by the first user, provision can be made on the dispensingattachment to receive a paper license sealed over the outlet of thecontainer.

It is therefore the main object of my invention to provide a detachablemeans, including a multiple valve structure, adapted to fit and bereleasably clamped in pressure sealing relation to the mouth of a glassor other suitable beverage container, where the beverage is to be heldor dispensed under pressure.

Another object of my invention is to provide means, which whilefulfilling the above mentioned main object, will include a releasablecheck valve in the mouth of the container, which is released by theengagement of an outside faucet or other manually operated valve, withthe outlet leading from the said check valve. In addition, I desire toprovide a paper seal, receiving portion to the said detachable means,having said portion surround the said outlet, whereby, before saidfaucet is attached for dispensing the beer, held in by said check valve,the said seal, be it a license or other purpose seal, can be attached tosaid portion, to seal over the said outlet, only to be broken by theultimate user, when he attaches the faucet and releases the said checkvalve for dispensing the been A further object is to include in adetachable means for bottles, fulfilling the said main object, a secondcheck valve at a gas inlet, and also include a safety valve to let downthe pressure in the container, after it has gone beyond that limit whichis safe for the glass container, in respect to its strength.

And another object of my invention is to include in a detachable meansfor bottles, fulfilling the said main object, a form of adjustableclamp, adapted to lock under the usual outside flange of the bottlehead, having said clamp simple in construction and easily releasablefrom the bottle head.

With these and other objects which will appear hereinafter, my inventionresides in certain construction, one embodiment of which is illustratedin the drawing, is hereinafter described, the functioning of the partsis explained, and what I claim is set forth.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a mid-sectional elevation of a glass container havingthereon a. beverage dispensing attachment embodying my invention,showing the central valve open.

Figure 2 is a fragmental section of the center tube portion of the saidattachment, showing the valve closed.

Figure 3 is an inverted perspective view of the cup-body of the saidattachment.

Figure 4 is a top plan of the cup-body.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of one of the half bushings adapted tocome into screw threaded engagement with the cup of the cup-body.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the central valve and stem with itscross bar.

Figure '7 is a top plan of the central, perforated, valve seat.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the tubular valve release member.

In the figures, the glass container I0, having a bottom I I, side wallsI2 and head I3, has mounted thereon, the body I 4, of the dispensingattachment. This body I 4, has a fiat top portion l5, recessed above atI6, in which is cemented a paper seal I'l. Depending from the topportion I5 is a cup portion l8. The top portion I5 rests upon a gasketI9, in contact with the lip 20, of the mouth 2 I, of thecontainerheadI3. Theinsidewall of the cup portion I8 is threaded for engagement ofthe two half bushings 22. These half bushings 22 have each an inturned,lower flange 23, which engage the under side of the flange 24, of thehead I3. Each bushing 22 has an outward extension 25, of the flange 23,adapted to receive a wrench. The body I4, of the dispensing attachment,has a central tubular portion 26, reaching down into the mouth 2|, ofthe container I0. The inside of this tubular portion 26 is threaded fromend to end. The lower end of this portion 26 engages a bushing 21, fromwhich a tube 28 depends into the container I0, reaching close to thecontainer bottom II. Midway of the ends of the tubular por- 7 seat 29.

tion 26, is a valve seat 29, having a central tubular port 36 andperforations 3i This valve seat 29 is in threaded engagement with thetubular portion 25, of the body l4, and when in proper position, isthere sealed at its periphery, with the body portion 26. In slidingengagement with the central tubular port 39, of the seat 29, is thevalve stem 32, having at its lower end a valve disc 33, and a washer 34,between the disc 33 and the seat 29, adapted to cover all of theperforations 3 l, of the The upper end of the stem 32-, has a cross-bar35, screwed thereto. Between this cross-bar 35, and the valve seat 29,is a compression spring 36, for normally holding the valve closed, whenthe cross-bar 35 is free to move up within the body portion 25.

In threaded and sealed engagement with the top of the tubular portion26, of the body it, is a bushing 31, in tubular connection withthefaucet 38, which is normally kept closed, except when dispensing thebeverage from the container ll). Loosely positioned axially within thethreaded :bore of the bushing 3 3., is the tubular valve release member3 i the lower part of which rests upon thecross-bar35. After thebushing3-! is screwed into the top of the tubular portion 26, of the body 14,the portion 38 of the faucet 38, is screwed down into the top of thebushing .31, where it engages the top of the tubular, valve releasingmember 37 The faucet portion 38 is screwed down .far enough into thebushing '31, to cause the member 37 to depress the cross-bar 35, and thespring 36, to hold the valve open, offdts seat 29. The lower end of themember 31* isexpanded, and also has a hole 31 to facilitate the freepassage of a fluid passing up through the valve seat 29 and the faucet38.

On opposite sides'of the top of the body M is shown two valves 39 and4t, engaging the respective passages 4| and 42. The valve 39 is a checkvalve tohold gas pressure within'the container after CO2 gas or airpasses in through the valve 39. Valve is a pressure relief valve, usedto relieve pressure over a certain limit, for the safety of thecontainer. In the figures these valves 39 and 49 are represented by the,symbols for the same, as shown in the Patent Oilice Rules of Practicefor 1935.

The dispensing attachment is assembled and made fast to the bottle, inthe following manner:

The valve seat 29 is preferably made separate, on account of thereadiness with which theholes or perforations 3i, and the hole in thecentral tubular part 38, can be drilled, when the valve seat is freefrom the attachment body H5. The valve seat 2% is afterward screwed intoits place in the central tubular portion 26, of the body Hi, andafterward galvanized, particularly at the threads, to seal it in place.However, the tubular portion 26 with the valve seat 2 9, as a crosswall, can be made in any other manner desired. With the valve seat 29 inplace, the valve stem 32, with its valve disc 33, and washer 36, is nextassembled with the valve seat 2? and the coiled compression spring 36,is next dropped in place, enveloping the valve stem 32. The cross-bar 35is then pushed down, compressing the spring 33, while the washer 34, ofthe valve disc 33 is forced to seat against the valve seat 29, and whilethus assembled, the cross-bar 35 is screwed tight to the top of thevalve stem 32, while the spring 35 is held compressed, thus normallyholding the central valve closed at the valve seat 29-, so that thewasher 34 covers all the perforations 3i, of'the valve seat 29. Afterthus assembling the central valve parts with the compression spring 36compressed, the tube 28 and its bushing 2'! is put in threadedengagement with the lower end of the central, tubu lar portion 26, ofthe body 14. Next the check valve 39 and the pressure relief valve 40are screwed in place into. the sides of the body 14, as shown in Figurel.

The body l4 and its parts being thus assembled, is next mounted upon thebottle head 83, having the tube 28 reaching down to near the bottom I l,of the bottle I0, and having the tubular portion 26, of the body M, inthe mouth 2|, of the bottle head I 3, with the. gasket !9 in place. Now,with the cup portion 18 enveloping the bottle head 13, the half bushings22, are placed around the neck of the bottle, and together they arescrewed up into the cup portion I3, until their inturned flanges 23,engage the flange 24, of the bottle head I3, and are further turned tobring the flanges 23 up tight against the bottle flange 2 compressingthe gasket 19, on top of the bottle head l3. 1

' With the attachment thus clamped upon the bottle head E3, the bottlecan be filled with beer or any other liquid to be dispensed underpressure, by passing the liquid through the central tubular portion25,01 the attachment, and under suflicient pressure to overcome the.closing urge of the spring 35, of the central valve and pass through.After thus filling the bottle l8, the

liquid contained is held under pressure by the three valves 39, all, andthe central valve 33. If

this pressure happens to rise higher than the desired amount, as alimit, for the safety 'of the container 10, then the relief valve lil,set for that particular safety pressure, will let out the excess. Next,if desired, a slip of paper 17, which may be a kind of seal, as alicense seal, is cemented over the central hole leading to thecentral'valve, 33, and within the shallow recess N5, of the flat portion,i5,'of'the body M. This seal 1'! is to remain intact, until anauthorized user breaks it, by screwing in the bushing 31, with itsfaucet attachment '38 closed. As the faucet portion 38 is screwed downinto the bushing3'l, it engages the valve release member 3'! bears downon the cross-bar 35, of the central valve 33, moving it down and openingthe valve against the action of the compression of the spring 36. Thecontainer is now ready for dispensing the pressure' charged beveragewithin the container 10, by opening the faucet 38. With the samedispensing attachment, water or milk can be dispensedfrom the containerI0, where the space above the liquid in the container is filled withcompressed air.

While I have illustrated and described but one embodiment of myinvention, various changes and additions can be made without departingfrom the spirit and :scope thereof, I therefore wish to in-- clude allforms which come within the purview through said cup, down into said topportion, an

extension depending from said tubular means, down into said container, avalve seat positioned across the bore of said tubular means, andpositioned intermediate the ends of said tubular means, a valve normallyin spring-pressed relation to close said valve seat from the side towardsaid container body, faucet meansoutside of said cup in releasablysealed relation with the outer end of said tubular means, and releasingmeans acting with said faucet means and adapted, when said faucet meansis in sealed relation with said tubular means, to reach to said valveand hold the same off its seat.

2. A dispensing attachment for containers made in accordance with claim1, and having in addition thereto means forming a gas outlet throughsaid top portion, communicating with the inside of said container, and apressure relief valve in said outlet, adapted to relieve said containerof pressure of gas, in excess of a fixed amount, at which the saidrelief valve is set.

3. A dispensing attachment for containers made in accordance with claim1, wherein said valve has a central stem reaching outwardly through saidvalve seat, a cross piece on the end of said stem away from said valve,a compression spring between said cross piece and said valve seat fornormally holding said valve closed in its spring pressed relation tosaid seat, said cross piece being positioned to be depressed by saidextended end of said faucet means to hold said valve open when saidfaucet means is connected with said tubular means.

4. A dispensing attachment for containers made in accordance with claim1, having in addition thereto, means forming a gas inlet through saidtop portion, communicating with the inside of said container, and acheck valve in said inlet adapted to check the escape of gas out throughsaid inlet, while permitting a gas or fluid to be forced past said checkvalve into said container, through said inlet.

5. The combination with a container having a mouth portion and anoutside flange carried thereby, of a dispensing attachment including incombination a plate portion serving as a cover to said mouth portion, ofsaid container, a cup part depending as a flange from said plateportion, said cup part enveloping said mouth portion, clamping means onsaid cup portion, engaging said flange, a central tubular portion onsaid attachment, fitting into said mouth portion, there being a holepassing through said plate portion, communicating with said centraltubular portion, a tube forming an extension to said tubular portion,reaching down into said container, positive sealing means between saiddispensing attachment and said container at the said mouth portionthereof, a spring-closed valve device in said tubular portion, havingthe valve thereof normally closed from within to hold pressure withinsaid container, said central tubular portion being positioned to be putin communication with faucet means and a valve being arranged formovement by engagement with an unseating element, carried by said faucetmeans; and a frangible seal on said plate portion, covering said hole insaid plate portion, and having a portion of said seal in the pathtraversed by the faucet means, as the latter is moved into communicationwith the tubular portion.

GEORGE W. MYERS.

